What Love Can See
by Aleine Skyfire
Summary: When the Avengers get dumped with the responsibility of rehabbing Loki, it's the long-suffering Pepper who actually handles him. She expects it to be tough, but she didn't expect to pity the psycho godling. Pepperony and sister/brother affection.
1. Prologue: On This Half Lit Day

**Author's Note:**

Argh, I said I wouldn't do any _Avengers_ fic, and here I am. But _doggone_ if the idea caught hold of me and wouldn't let go! The title and the chapter titles are taken from the song "Where" by Lisbeth Scott (_The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ OST).

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Marvel, I would know a heck of a lot more about the Marvel universe than I actually do, and this story would be the next film. End of disclaimer.

* * *

**==What Love Can See==**

* * *

_When the Avengers get dumped with the responsibility of rehabbing Loki, it's the long-suffering Pepper who actually handles him. She expects it to be tough, but she didn't expect to pity the psycho godling. Pepperony; sister/brother affection._

* * *

**==Prologue==**

**On This Half-Lit Day**

"You _what?_"

Virginia "Pepper" Potts was not raising her voice. Nope, not even a little bit. But she was making sure that her displeased surprise _absolutely_ got through to Tony.

To be fair, he looked pretty uncomfortable, and, with Tony Stark, that took some doing. "Look, Pepper, I'm not any happier about it than you are—"

"And, what, you're just rolling over and accepting Fury's decision?"

Tony sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "It was barely even his decision in the first place. The 'all-powerful' Odin decided to punish his oh-so-wayward son by stripping him of his powers and sending him to 'Midgard', and who is Fury to say no? I mean, really."

Pepper sighed, too, and folded her arms. "Hence the Avengers getting dumped with the responsibility of rehabbing a psycho godling."

And, oh, didn't Tony just look thrilled. "Yeah."

"Uh-huh."

"Please help us, Pep?" Good grief, not the puppy eyes. She could take everything else he could dish out, but she just couldn't hold out against the puppy eyes for long—and he knew it, too. "Pleeease?"

She growled and glanced away (even though she knew she wouldn't be able to keep looking away for long). "In case you forgot, _Mr._ Stark, I have a little something called a _job_. More specifically, a job as _CEO_ of _your_ company."

She could just _feel_ him grimace. "I know, Pep. But out of the six of us, Steve and Thor are the only ones who don't have lives outside of the Avengers, and I think you can see how having Thor baby-sit his little bro wouldn't be a very good idea."

"Well, I _can_ concede _that_," Pepper muttered.

"Besides, just think about it: you and Loki have no history with each other. And you've practically written the book on how to deal with hopeless cases—just look at the two of us." Tony grinned hopefully.

She snorted. "Yeah, and look at my success there—you're still as hopeless as ever."

His grin softened. "Yeah, well, at least I got the girl."

It wasn't the words themselves, but how he said them. The warm, genuinely loving tone made them just about the sweetest thing he'd ever said. Definitely better than "twelve percent."

She sighed again. _Darn it_. "Can I at least meet your hopeless case before I agree to get in over my head?"

* * *

There was no need to keep the god of mischief in a Hulk-proof cell this time, since Loki had been reduced to pretty much human status. Harsh, certainly, considering that magic had been a huge part of him all his centuries of life, but it was no less than he deserved. And Pepper did not for one minute forget who had directly killed Phil.

The Director of SHIELD himself let her into Loki's standard-issue cell. The psycho godling-in-question was, for lack of a better word, sulking on his cot. Then again, maybe sulking was a good word for it. He looked up with mild curiosity as she entered, but that quickly faded to haughty disinterest.

"Ah, Miss Potts, CEO of Stark Industries," he said disdainfully. He certainly fulfilled the whole "snobby royalty" thing well, so very unlike Thor. On the other hand, if Thor's admittedly-biased account was to be believed, haughtiness was a recently-acquired trait for Loki. "How may I help you?"

She could practically _see_ the sarcasm dripping from his voice. But sarcasm was home territory for her—she hadn't worked with Tony _Incessant Snark Mode_ Stark all these years for sarcasm _not_ to be home territory. "Somebody's done his homework," she noted mildly. "Mr. Odinson—" his eyes flashed nastily for a moment; okay, bad move—"I'm just here to ask you a few basic questions. And seeing as how you're the god of mischief and lies and all that jazz, I'd appreciate some straight answers."

One dark eyebrow arched elegantly. "I see." Still disdainful, but faint interest, as well.

_Probably sees me as a diversion from complete boredom,_ Pepper decided. _I can work with that. And…_ "My gosh, you're cute," she said under her breath. He really was, in a Dark Side-ish kind of way—and his face registered genuine surprise at her comment. "Okay, let's start with this: why Earth? I mean, unless we really are the center of the universe or something, but it doesn't really make sense. We're technologically inferior to your people, and I doubt we have any resources that you can't get somewhere else. So why Earth?"

Loki cocked both eyebrows momentarily as he leaned back against the wall. "Asgard has always held some sentimentality for Midgard—having lived nearly my entire life in that culture, I was no more immune to that idea than any other Asgardian. More to the point, Thor holds a great deal of affection for this world, and I wanted revenge against him."

Pepper raised an eyebrow. "Okaaay, that makes a disturbing amount of sense. Question number two: _why_ did you want revenge on Thor? What were you avenging?"

The grey-blue eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. "I doubt very much that your mortal—"

"_Cut_ the godly superiority crap," Pepper snapped back. "If I had to make an educated guess, I would say that it was because you grew up in Thor's shadow and you were fed up with it."

"If you knew the answer, why did you ask the question?" Loki hissed.

Pepper bit back her retort and took a deep breath. "You threw the immortal equivalent of a teenage tantrum, Loki—you're no better than us 'mere mortals,' and you're deluded if you think otherwise." He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "What did those aliens do to you?"

He blinked, obviously caught off-guard. "I beg your pardon?"

"The aliens you let into Midgard. You were acting under _their_ initiative, not the other way around." She leaned forward, her voice lowering and intensifying. "They picked you up after the destruction of the Bifrost, and they tortured you, didn't they?"

He'd actually looked uncomfortable for a moment, then the wall came up and she couldn't see into him any further. "You humans are so arrogant—you think you have all the answers. I may be subject now to your authority, but I will by no means bow to it."

She heaved a sigh and threw up her hands. "Okay. Okay, fine, be that way." She rose to go, then turned back to him. "You know, Loki, it's okay to be vulnerable. You can't really heal from what you've been through until you allow yourself that." Then she rapped on the door, and Nick Fury let her back out.

Tony was slouched against the wall opposite, arms folded, legs crossed—pretending not to look concerned and failing. "Well?"

"Pretty much what I figured after that nice, long conversation with Thor," Pepper replied, straightening her suit jacket. "He's little more than a kid with major issues." She turned to Director Fury. "I'll take the job, sir, but I expect some compensation."

Fury cocked an eyebrow. "If you can accomplish _anything_ with that psychopath, the world itself will owe you a huge debt, Miss Potts."

"Are you sure about this, Pep?" Tony broke in.

"You're the one who asked me in the first place, Tony," she reminded him. "And, actually, I am. I don't know that I _can_ accomplish anything with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Angsty in there, but I'm going to darn well try."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Sorry if anybody seemed OOC there. I'm a _very_ recent convert to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by virtue of having been completely _dis_interested in superheroes my entire life. But, a couple of weeks ago, my cousin dragged me to the theater to see _The Avengers_, and it was love at first sight. Not to mention _Thor_ and _Captain America_. So… please bear with me. I promise to give this idea my best shot.

Which brings us to the question you're probably thinking right now: why Loki and _Pepper_, for crying out loud? Well, with all the Avengers-under-one-roof fics out there, often involving Loki in various stages of Chaotic Neutral, I wanted to do my own. I also wanted to do something that nobody else had done yet, and I kinda wanted to do something with Pepper. And then I had the thought that Pepper was probably the _perfect_ person to oversee Loki's rehabilitation, after spending so many years with Tony Stark. There's probably very little that Loki can throw at Pepper that she can't handle.

Anyway, you're going to see all the Avengers in this story, and, like all my stories, it will be very heavily character-centric. I also can't guarantee on the regularity of updates, because I'm getting close to finishing up the first draft of a suspense novel (see my profile for further details). And, in general, I'm just plain busy. But I hope to give these characters the love and attention they deserve.

And reviews do help speed the creative process. Also, requests on things you'd like to see in this fic are welcome.

Next up, Loki moves into the lower part of the Stark Tower just in time for a Steve-instigated pizza-and-movie night. Hey, this may be h/c, but I have to have a little humor in my stories. Stay tuned!

_**Please review!**_


	2. 1 With Your Crown beneath Your Wing

**Author's Note:**

HOLY COW. Eight reviews, eleven favorites, and a whopping thirty-eight subscriptions in less than twenty-four hours! Not to mention five author alerts and one author favorite! Thank you so much—you guys are awesome!

I'm really glad that people like and agree with the idea of Pepper being the ideal "caretaker" for Loki.

Now, as for the chapter itself… I don't know what I was thinking when I did the "next up" bit in my A/N. Seriously. It just did _not_ jive with the tone set by the prologue, nor, apparently, did it really jive with the characters themselves. *sighs* That is so the _last_ time I'm giving any specific spoilers, unless I know with one hundred percent certainty what will happen in the next chapter.

Sorry about that. Please just bear with me—I'm kind of your stereotypical artist type: depression, no money, procrastinating, mood swings… all that fun stuff. =P

Which reminds me—one last thing. I'm churning out an update so quickly out of excitement and getting high on a successful start. This is more than likely the _last_ time you'll get two chapters within a week's time, let alone twenty-four hours. Like I said before, I have a Sherlock Holmes novel to finish, as well as other previous commitments. But. I will try to update this more often than once in a blue moon.

**To my reviewers:**

JannaKalderash: Thanks very much! I think this story will be pretty long. There're a lot of issues to hash out, and it will take time.

chatnoir1: Thank you! Yeah, it didn't look like a happy partnership between Loki and the Chitauri. Ha-ha, and glad you loved the "Incessant Snark Mode" bit! That was one of my favorite parts. =D

Caleigho Meer: Thanks! Your wish is my command. =)

The Pearl Maiden: DARLING! *hug-tacklez* I know, it's been a very long time! How've you been? Ha-ha, yes, I have joined Loki's Army, as it were—definitely to make a good man out of him. =D (You've read my Star Wars fics, you know how that goes… oops, shouldn't have brought that up…) Btw, I voted on that poll on your profile—I voted for Thor. *innocent grin* What can I say? The poor sweetie needs more love, and he _is_ a sweetheart. Oh, hot-dog and high-five for great minds thinking alike! Re Loki/Pepper: ha-ha, no—I'm very much a canon-ship gal. ;D Besides, Pepper and Tony are just too cute together! It will be little challenging for me, to have more than a "Big Three" or "Big Four" that the story focuses on, but I want to try really hard to give all the Avengers adequate screentime. Thor is definitely important, and the end of today's installment will show that he has his own character development to endure. Thanks for everything, hon!

TeddyBearSunshineJoy54: Thank you very much!

Crazy Hyper Lady: Ha-ha, _yes_, Pepper rocks. Thank you!

DreamHunter4: I'm glad you think I'm keeping everybody IC—I hope that continues! Thank you very much!

Izzy Jizzy: Thank you! I think all that's needed is somebody to be standing just a little bit outside of things to figure out what happened to Loki—arguably, the Avengers could, themselves, if they weren't too close to it all.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Still ain't mine. As long as Tom Hiddleston loves Loki, though, I'm not worried.

* * *

**==Chapter I==**

**With Your Crown beneath Your Wings**

"Ohhh, we are _not_ doing Movie Night tonight!"

"C'mon, Pep," Tony wheedled. "Just 'cause Reindeer Games is moving in today, doesn't mean—"

"Yeah, Miss Potts, please," Steve cut in, looking for all the world like an innocent seven-year-old pleading for seconds of ice cream. "Friday night's the best for this, and I really wanna see _Star Wars_!"

Pepper rolled her eyes. "First of all: hello, _Star Wars_? Subject matter, Tony?" She heard Thor somewhere in the background ask quietly what the subject matter _was_ and ignored him. "Second of all: you two're telling me you want to assemble all six Avengers _here_ on Loki's first day? Captain, I thought you were the mature, pragmatic one of this group—" Tony muttered something about Steve being the teacher's pet— "don't you see a problem with this? I would _like_ to get Loki a little bit established here before we try to do something that big."

Steve looked positively crestfallen, and Pepper really did feel bad for him. Just… not enough to back down.

Tony pursed his lips. "Guess the lady has a point there."

"Thank—"

"What if it was some other film?" Thor piped up. "With just the four of us?"

Pepper groaned and smacked her forehead.

"Nice compromise, big guy," Tony conceded.

"Thank you."

"I like _WALL-E_," Steve offered tentatively.

Banging her head against the wall repeatedly was looking more attractive with each passing moment.

* * *

Loki was escorted into the Stark Tower by a dozen SHIELD soldiers. Apparently, SHIELD remembered the damage a very-much-mortal Thor had done that one time in New Mexico. Ah, all the stories for these Avengers that Pepper had to keep straight…

Outside of that prison cell and even while being herded by soldiers, Loki cut an impressive figure. Definitely tall, dark, and handsome—regal, too. He was obviously a prince.

Tony had insisted on being there with Pepper at the entrance, despite all her wishes to the contrary. She just didn't trust him not to open his big mouth and say something entirely inappropriate. As usual, her fears were completely justified.

"What, Reindeer Games doesn't come with an instruction manual?"

Yep, that was her Tony. "That would be _me_, darling," she said saccharine-sweetly. She turned to Loki and extended her hand. "Hello, Loki, and welcome to Stark Tower."

He didn't take the hand, and he looked as though he was about to make a snarky remark when Tony stepped in and beat him to it. "We hope you enjoy your stay, and we hope you won't break any windows this time."

To heck with diplomacy. She smacked him upside the arm without taking her gaze away from Loki. "I'll be your hostess, so just come with me and I'll show you to your suite. Tony, if you could stay here and thank these men for their help?"

Not waiting for a reply, she grabbed Loki's hand and started pulling him away, effectively shocking all fourteen males in the foyer. It wasn't until they were in the elevator that she let him go. "Sorry for the manhandling," she said ruefully. "Just didn't want the situation out there to spiral down into something I couldn't control."

Loki raised an eyebrow, looking sardonically amused. "I did not realize that you would be my keeper."

She smiled, all teeth. "I'm not. I'm going to be your shrink."

"My what?"

"And I should warn you that your brother and Captain America have suites here, as well," Pepper continued implacably. "Matter of convenience. They're having Movie Night tonight, in case you're interested—I think _WALL-E_'s the fare."

"Movie Night… ah, yes, motion pictures. Dare I ask what 'waall-ee' is?"

Pepper smirked. "It's about robots—you do have those, don't you? Artificial intelligence?"

"I am familiar with the concept, yes."

Pepper nodded. "Anyway, you're welcome to join us—we'll be on the same floor."

"You're inviting me to an event with _Captain America_ and my _adoptive_ brother?"

Pepper arched an eyebrow. "You really know how to make things sound dirty, don't you? Ah, our floor. C'mon, kiddo." She stepped out and gestured him to pass her. "After you."

"As you should—"

"Age before beauty," she deadpanned. In response to his narrowed eyes, she merely smiled innocently and walked past him, leading the way to his suite. "Sorry, sweetheart—around here, you gotta be able to take as much as you can dish out. _Snark_ Tower, you know."

"I can take _anything_ you mortals can 'dish' me."

"Glad to hear it." She opened the suite door with a flourish. "_Entreriez vous_, Your Majesty."

"Is sarcasm a trait of the human race?" he asked evenly enough as he stepped inside.

She cocked her head. "I would like to say that the _American_ race holds a monopoly on it, but that would be far from the truth." She flashed him a genuine grin. "The Brits alone would murder me for it."

He looked as though he didn't know how to take her good humor, and glanced about the suite instead. The living room was the main room with a bedroom off the side, a bathroom, a kitchenette, an office—same stuff that Steve and Thor had, in Stark-patented luxury. "I'm afraid I have had little experience with human accommodations, but this appears to be impressive," Loki said frankly.

Pepper's grin grew. "Trust me, it is. Eighty-eight percent Tony's brainchild."

Loki frowned in confusion.

She laughed. "Inside joke—never mind. Look, you'll find nightclothes and casual wear in the dresser in there, and suits in the closet. I got your measurements from SHIELD, so everything should fit."

"You did this in less than twenty-four hours?" This time, he definitely sounded faintly impressed.

Pepper's eyes twinkled. "I'm Tony Stark's Girl Friday—fast and efficient are must-haves in this job. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable. There's a list of rules there on the coffee table for you to read—basic houseguest stuff for the most part. Dinner is in two hours; we're having pizza."

"What is pizza?"

"Um, tomato sauce on crust, with toppings. I'm sure you'll like it—_everybody_ likes pizza. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a company to run. See you in a few." She waved and shut the door behind her.

Good grief, she was already feeling in over her head. She just hoped their newly resident god of mischief _(funny, and here I'd always thought that was _Tony's_ title)_ didn't try anything between now and dinnertime.

* * *

Pepper Potts was interesting—quite different from Natasha Romanoff. She had a definite sense of humor, even of mischief, and, ye gods, he honestly _liked_ that. She was clever, too, in her own mortal way, and certainly competent. _She would have made a fine servant under the staff's control, and what a blow that would have been to Iron Man,_ hissed a dark voice in his mind.

He didn't mind its presence. During his time with the Chitauri, it had been the only thing keeping him sane.

Well. He might as well read those rules now. It would be grating, but he was determined to be a good boy and give Odin what he wanted—for all intents and purposes, a reformed son. Then Loki would be back in Asgard, reunited with his magic and his immortal form, and _then_ he would have his revenge.

* * *

"I am curious to try this food you call 'pizza'."

Pepper turned at the sound of the cultured voice and nearly dropped her plate. Loki was standing in the doorway to the dining room, wearing a button-up navy-blue shirt and black slacks. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tony looking back and forth between her and Loki and not liking what he thought he was seeing. "Chill, Tony," she said under her breath.

"Brother." That was Thor, of course, holding his own plate in one hand and a piece of Meat Lover's pizza in the other. Pepper would have expected the god of thunder to be, well, as buoyant as he usually was. She didn't think she'd ever seen him so serious in the two weeks she'd known him. "There is a type of pizza with mushrooms, peppers, onions, and olives. I believe you'd like it."

Someone could have shot a gun and _everyone_ would have jumped as Thor stood and approached his estranged little brother with a new plate heaped with pizza. Even Tony seemed to be holding his breath. Loki watched Thor with zero emotion in his face, though Pepper could see that his body was tensed with that basic "fight-or-flight" instinct.

Superior gods. Riiight.

The icy grey-blue eyes never left the warm blue ones as Loki moved forward and silently sidestepped his brother, ignoring the obvious peace offering. "Might I ask what beverages are available?" Loki asked as if nothing had happened.

Thor looked like he'd taken a serious punch to the gut. Pepper's chest hurt as she turned to Loki, who was moving through the kitchen with feline grace. She felt Tony give her shoulder a comforting squeeze and made a mental note to thank him for it later. "There's carbonated juice in the fridge," she replied in a voice not quite as even as she'd like. "And water. I'd hold back on the wine—it's not really a good combination with pizza."

"Chemical imbalances," Tony agreed, picking up where she'd left off. "Go 'head and try the Dr. Pepper—" he never failed to amaze her at how deadpan he could say that particular brand name—"but don't drink too much at once. It fizzes. It'll bubble out of your nose, which isn't something I particularly want to see."

Mild for him. He was picking his battles now, and she was grateful for it.

"Nor is it something I particularly wish to experience," Loki returned calmly.

"By the way, Tony," Pepper said, turning to her boyfriend, "where's Steve?" Behind her, she heard Loki opening the Dr. Pepper bottle and pouring himself a glass.

"I think he's still getting acquainted with the wonders of the World Wide Web," Tony said. "I'd leave him to it."

"It is fascinating," Thor said quietly, passing them to set the untouched plate back on the counter.

"I'll take that plate, Thor," Pepper said in a near-whisper.

He turned and handed it to her, his eyes inexpressibly sad as he attempted a smile. She made another mental note right there and then to call in a favor from SHIELD—namely, get Dr. Jane Foster relocated to this neighborhood. Pepper had a feeling that Thor would need his girlfriend before long.

"Thanks." She took a bite out of the top piece and savored it. "I like pepperoni on my pizza, but this vegetarian stuff is pretty good, too." She offered him a tentative smile.

He managed a better smile this time, one which just about touched those expressive blue eyes. "It is surprisingly hearty for being meatless."

Looking past Thor, she could see something in Loki's face she didn't like—he was sizing them up, assessing them. _God of mischief, Pepper girl—remember that_. "Sure is, big guy." She shook herself and took another bite. "By the way, Thor, don't forget: just three buckets of popcorn later. I'm not gonna spend all night catering to a god with the appetite of a teenager and the ability to pack _even more_ in his stomach."

"Well, I could make the popcorn," he offered solicitously.

"If that bag over there on the counter is anything to go by," Loki chimed unexpectedly, "you'd go through it in a night if left to your own devices."

It was another one of those time-froze-over moments. Fortunately, it was much briefer this time around. "Uhhh, yeah," Pepper said slowly. "Actually, Thor, he's right—you probably could."

"Well, then I shall defer to your superior judgment." Thor gave her a little bow and ignored his brother entirely—oh, this was just great.

"Good thinking, Point Break," Tony said easily, sidling past Thor and patting him on the arm. "Listen to Mom—Mom always knows best."

Pepper's shoulders dropped as she huffed in exasperation. "_How_ did I ever get involved with you in the first place?"

Loki looked up with an uncomfortable amount of interest, while Thor simply looked uncomfortable. Tony turned to her with an innocent raise of the eyebrows. "Involved… in which sense?"

"Ugh, I take back what I said earlier," Pepper groaned, dragging herself into the kitchen. "I think I'm going to need a beer to get through tonight."

Loki wordlessly extended a can of beer to her. She stared at it, then at him. "Thanks," she murmured, taking the can and opening it.

"Hi, folks." Ah, and there _at last_ was the beloved, heroic Captain Am… golly, she was really wound too tight this evening. She _liked_ Steve.

"Hey, Steve," she said flatly before taking a swig from the can.

Thor raised a hand in greeting, his mouth full of pizza; Tony said something sardonic that Pepper totally blocked out; and Loki merely leaned forward on the kitchen counter, nodding to Steve and taking his first bite of pizza. "What _is_ this yellow fruit?" Loki wondered.

"Pineapple," Tony replied. "That's the Hawaiian pizza."

"Pineapple?" Steve chimed. "Neat." He reached for the box of Hawaiian.

"It looks nothing like pine cones or apples," Thor protested.

Pepper groaned and dropped her forehead to the countertop. _Somebody shoot me now, please_. The world _definitely_ owed her big-time for this.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Poor Pepper. I like the last scene the best, mostly because the characters really took it over and made it their own. I really didn't see Thor's peace offering coming, but once it happened, I had a feeling Loki was going to snub him. And yes, Thor is very subdued right now. I think that, after all that's happened, he's hurt and he's also thinking things through. He's still too close to the situation, but at least he's trying.

Speaking of Thor, yes, Jane is going to show up and hopefully be a major supporting character. I really like her, and I felt so bad for her, watching _Thor_. She's obviously lonely, even more so when Thor can't get back to her. She and Pepper might end up being a Dynamic Duo in their own right—"Only Sane Man" kind of thing. ;-)

Also, there will be very little language in this fic—I just don't go in for that. A couple of my Sherlockian fics have some language, but even then, it's not that much. Plus, Tony's little retort to Pepper above is this really the most suggestive I get. I'm well aware that there's a Values Dissonance between myself and the Marvel Cinematic Universe—I can give a little, but this story is staying, overall, clean.

Next up, I'm pretty sure we'll pick up more or less where this chapter left off, though I make no promises. Nor can I say when I'll update next. Just stay tuned!

_**Please review!**_


	3. 2 Every Word Just Echoes

**Author's Note:**

At laaaast, I am back! And I've rewatched _The Avengers_ in the interim! (Felt like I was gonna go nuts if I didn't see it one last time before the DVD release in September.) And I finally got to see the beginning, which was fantastic. When I went to see it the first time, I got in late—during the car chase. Yeah, I missed a lot the first time! (Trust me, it wasn't my fault.)

And _twenty-six_ reviews on the last installment? Plus a whopping _forty-five_ favorites total and over a _hundred_ subscriptions? *passes out* Seriously, guys, I am floored—I have _never_ gotten that kind of response before! You are all so awesome! Group hug! …y'know, that's more reviews than I can realistically respond to, so I'm going to have to pick just a few of the larger ones and reply to those. If I don't reply to yours, it's absolutely _not_ a slight upon you, and I am still inexpressibly grateful for your support!

Let me tell you, this chapter was tough. I'm still new to these characters, and Loki really wasn't making things easy for me. In all seriousness, he wasn't cooperating one little bit—didn't matter how much I love him. Tony, actually, wasn't all that cooperative either, until the second half of the last scene. Pepper and I were pretty tired at the end of the whole thing.

But I do have a long chapter this time—including some _very_ blatant Pepperony—so here's hoping it was worth the wait! Oh, and let me know what you think of the coverart, please!

**An overall reply my reviewers:**

I already initiated a group hug, but here's another one! *big hug* Once again, I don't have time and space to reply to everybody, but _all_ you lovely reviewers have my sincerest thanks! In fact, I'm not even replying to all the reviews that pretty much gushed over this story, and for that, I do feel slightly guilty. But, again, you wonderful people do have my love and gratitude!

Also, it really means a lot to me to hear you guys say that I'm keeping the characters in-character! I appreciate that _so_ much. IC is what I always strive for, and it's tough when I haven't been with the characters for very long. Thank you! And it really warms my heart to see how people have taken to the whole Pepper thing, and think that I'm doing really well with her!

And to people who are asking for Clintasha, all I can say is that we'll see. I'm a bit divided on that, because I see their relationship as actually being left ambiguous in the film. It really could be nothing more than a brother/sister thing between them, though I am by no means averse to the pairing. Also… I must confess that I'm considering Steve/Natasha. I know, I know—there's next to no chemistry between them in the film, and I'm not typically the kind of fangirl who ships two characters who don't have chemistry. But… I don't know, something about that pairing appeals to me. Ah, well. On to…

**Review Replies!**

JannaKalderash: Ha-ha, sorry about putting you in the mood for pizza! ^_^ I have indeed read "House Arrest"—it _is_ **very** funny. Hey, that's a cute idea—Pepper and veggies & fruit and Loki! Thanks, I'll have to squeeze that one in sometime. :D

windrunner: Thank you so much! Hawkeye and Black Widow will indeed be making their appearances, along with Bruce. It just might take another chapter or two (and I need to be confident enough in my characterization of them). As for Clintasha, well… *points above* We'll see!

BlackPuma137: Thank you for your praise, and thank you for your understanding! :) Oh, I can promise you Thor/Jane in the future—I very much ship it! Maybe some jealous!Loki, too—it's possible. Thanks again!

Ynath Esrith: Hee, yeah, poor Pepper. Re Jane: yes, absolutely! (Apparently, Natalie Portman wanted to return in _The Avengers_ but could not due to her pregnancy—at least they gave a plausible excuse for her absence in-universe rather than get a new actress.) She is indeed a fine match for Thor. I love her a lot! Ha-ha, Loki and brownie points. But it's true. On the other hand, he can't hide his nature entirely, and that's going to show in this chapter. Don't worry, he _will_ have a change of heart… it's just going to be a slow process (I'm a big fan of gradual character development). Thank you!

Mackadukey: Thank you very much! Yeah, I love it in _The Avengers_ how she's able to hold her own against Tony (notice that nobody else actually does that in the film?), and I'm holding to that in this story. Plus, sarcastic/witty banter is one of my favorite things to write (alongside torture, h/c, and pure fluff, lol). I'm really happy that you thought Loki and Thor were "perfect." *beams* Thanks again!

Crazy Hyper Lady: *giggles* Thank you very much! And I'm glad you appreciate the, ahem, "cleanliness" so much. :D Obviously, there are some things that I can't get around entirely, but profanity will definitely be kept to a minimum. You're very welcome, and thank you again!

Magical Faerie: Thank you very much! I'm glad you found this story, too! ;D

chatnoir1: So glad you liked the "Snark Tower" and "instruction manual" bits! :D Ah, I love it how Tony can't turn it off—it's what makes him one of my favorites. Thank you very much!

TheNewWinterSoldier: Thanks so much! Yeah, a big part of the appeal for me in writing Pepper as Loki's caretaker (for all intents and purposes) is that it _is_ something outside the norm. Doing stuff like that is kind of my shtick. And that comment about Loki's characterization really made my day. :) Yes, I think Pepper's going to be more than ready for Jane by the time she finally gets relocated. Fellow Troper, yes! High-five! Guess it really does take one to know one! :D

The Pearl Maiden: *grins* Yeah, I knew I shouldn't've mentioned those fics… Even when I come back to _Destiny's Call_ Ch4 (and I do that every now and then), I can't seem to get past it. There's nothing wrong with what I've got written—it's continuing on from there. Especially after some conversations with my brother, which derailed most of my ideas for the future of the story—I'm still trying to build up a more plausible middle and ending. *sighs* Darn you, Sidious… Ahem, anyhoo… Did you ever notice the Sherlock Holmes novel I'm working on? It's on my stories list, and I really think you'd love it. :) Okay, _now_ getting back on track. Teddy-bear, jumbo-puppy Thor… me like. :D I know, I could hug him too! Glad you loved the chapter, and the "Dr. Pepper" bit. It was too good to pass up. Thank you!

.pen: *blushes* Seriously… thank you very much. Your review made my week.

windrunner123: Thank you so much! As I said above, we'll see about Clintasha—I just don't know at this juncture. Heh, I think Loki needs to come to terms with his family before he's ready to love someone romantically—but he _will_ get some loving. It'll just take some time. Thanks again!

Alcatrazzie: Again, thanks so much, love! *hugs* I really did squee when I saw your review. ^_^

Anon: *blushes* Thank you very much! One thing that I try very hard to avoid in _any_ of my fics is flanderization of the characters, and Thor is no exception. From what I've seen, I don't think he gets enough respect, and he really is an amazing man. He proved in the second half of his film that he was indeed smart—more than that: he could be mature, and I'm trying hard to honor that. Heh, Clint's first meeting with Loki is going to be tough—I cringe just thinking about it. Thank you again!

Blue Eyes Smiling: Thanks so much! I'm afraid I haven't read any of the comics, but I'm glad that you like the way I write Pepper. :) Just… thank you so very much!

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Lessee… last time I checked, The Avengers was breaking box office records left and right. Seeing as how I am as poor as a church mouse, I seriously doubt I have any sort of ownership of these characters. But I wouldn't mind having Pepper for a big sister. She's awesome.

* * *

**==Chapter II==**

**Every Word Just Echoes**

Once the movie started, the evening went remarkably well, up to a point. Tony and Loki kept snarking at _WALL-E_ and at each other, while Steve and Thor kept complaining that they wanted to watch the film in peace. Pepper simply kept her mouth shut and tuned them out as best she could. Sanity was looking more and more as if it would be a precious commodity in short supply for the next year or so.

Heck, maybe the rest of her life. Wasn't _that_ a fun thought?

As the credits rolled and Thor clapped in time with "Down to Earth," a debate started up between Loki and Pepper on the ability of artificial intelligence to fall in love. Pepper held onto the possibility of it happening, while Loki worked to undermine her position. Tony and Steve stayed on the sidelines, with Tony running a commentary to Steve that the debaters heard but ignored.

"The opening premise of the film was faulty," Loki insisted. "Over a course of several centuries, artificial intelligence acquires a personality and, thereby, a soul. And then EVE acquires one over the course of several days because she sees WALL-E's infatuation with her—which shouldn't matter to her in the first place."

Pepper considered for a moment. "I think WALL-E got his personality by watching human films and deciding to emulate them."

"So his personality is based upon emulation."

"Yes."

"Very well, I'll give you that for the moment. But EVE?"

"Again, emulation. These robots were apparently programmed with a large capability to think for themselves—probably to carry out their tasks in the most efficient manner possible."

The god of mischief appeared to be considering that. "Point conceded," he said at last. "But the capability to think freely does not necessitate the capability to love."

"WALL-E watched those romance flicks," Pepper reasoned. "He knew that he was alone, and watching the flicks taught him to feel lonely. They taught him that a person needs _people_, that no one is meant to be alone. And they taught him what love was like. When he met EVE, he was fully capable of love."

Something indefinable flickered through Loki's grey-blue eyes. "And EVE?"

"EVE saw that one movie, and she saw that WALL-E was attracted to her." Pepper sighed and shrugged. "I don't know—I just like to enjoy it for what it is: a romance. I've never put this much thought into it before."

"Loki has always ruined stories by putting too much thought into them," Thor said unexpectedly.

"And you have always been too accepting of the stories you hear," Loki returned coolly.

That was the point at which the evening started going back downhill.

"Look, fellas, it's just a movie," Steve tried.

"Don't bother, honey," Pepper said, the moment the estranged brothers started arguing in what was definitely Old Norse. She might not be as much of a language buff as _Natalie Rushman_ (yeah, even now there was some friction between her and Natasha), but she knew enough of Northern European languages to recognize Norse when she heard it.

"Darn," was all Steve could say at that point.

"Is there any popcorn left?" Tony wondered.

Sometimes, Pepper wondered why she didn't just retire on the generous pension she'd racked up. She figured she must be a glutton for punishment.

* * *

Light.

Brilliant, sharp, unforgiving.

There was no escaping the harsh white brilliance around him, for it flooded past his eyelids. Shards of burning, crystalline light bored directly into his skull and throbbed within.

They burned him with light even as they tore open his mind and revealed it for all the worlds to see. Loneliness. Envy. Abandonment. Anger.

They picked his mind apart, piece by piece.

He twisted and bucked and writhed, but their grip never loosened. He sobbed, but they didn't care. He screamed 'til his throat went raw and his voice silent, and still he screamed _and they did not care_.

No one ever did.

His mind and spirit were naked in the light, and he was utterly helpless to stop it.

Thor never came. Father never came. Mother never came.

No one.

Ever.

Came.

He thought that he might have apologized, he might have begged for forgiveness, he might have gone back to being the dutiful little son, the younger brother proud of his elder brother… if only someone would have come. Would have taken him home.

No one ever did.

* * *

The next morning, Pepper was making notes on her planner while sipping her coffee when a certain god of mischief entered the dining room. From over the rim of her mug, she took stock of Loki as he took a seat away from everyone else at the table: he was fully dressed and immaculate as ever, but the dark rings beneath his eyes spoke volumes about his night. Pepper rose, returned to the coffee machine, and poured a new mug.

At least everyone had been very quiet while eating their pancakes, so there was no awkward silence now with Loki's appearance.

Pepper set the mug down in front of him and said, "It's bitter, but you look like you need it."

Loki stared tiredly down at the dark liquid, which she had left black to keep it full strength. "What is it?"

"It'll wake you up."

"Might even send you through the roof," was Tony's offhand remark as he browsed Pepper-knew-not-what on his cell phone.

Thor frowned. "It is not that strong."

Loki raised his eyebrows at his brother, then returned his gaze to the coffee. He wrapped his hands around it and shivered.

"Hey, you okay?" Pepper asked in an undertone. She knew the answer, but…

"I am fine." To his credit, it didn't sound like he was just putting it on. Thor had said that Loki used to be more transparent, despite his characteristic "silver tongue". Now, however… now, Loki was very opaque, or would be, if he weren't fully human at this point in time.

Pepper walked quietly back into the kitchen, forked two pancakes onto a plate, and slathered them with butter and syrup. She set the plate before Loki, who looked up at her with an indecipherable expression. At last, she said, "Eat up, kiddo. We've got a long day today."

She felt Tony's eyes on her as she returned to her own pancakes, and she sent him a brief smile. He did not look to be reassured at it. Sighing, she pulled out her cell and fired a quick text: _I can handle him._

_Mass-murderer, Pep._

_Your idea, Tony._

_But only twelve percent._

_I'm going to pretend I didn't see that. And I'll be okay. Trust me._

There was a pause in the texting. And then: _I do_.

Pepper smiled.

_Dinner tonight?_

_I have a feeling I'll need it._

_My poor babe. See you then. Oh, and dress up._

Pepper just laughed silently and shook her head.

* * *

An hour later, Pepper was in her office with Loki on the other side of the desk. She took a deep breath and said, "All right, Loki, here's our dilemma. You're here, on Earth, for rehabilitation. I won't argue with your father—" he frowned and opened his mouth, and she raised her hand—"and yes, I _will_ call him your father because he most _definitely_ the only one who actually counts. Sorry. We humans tend to have a thing for not acknowledging biological parents who abandon their children.

"_As I was going to say_: I won't argue with your father, but he _has_ put us in a rather awkward position. Obviously, if you are going to be rehabilitated or redeemed or whatever you want to call it, SHIELD is not the best choice for helping it happen. Thus, they dump the responsibility on the Avengers."

Loki's frown dropped several degrees in temperature. "Am I some stolen relic to be passed—"

"_You_ are a murderer," Pepper interjected, leaning forward and pinning him with a steely glare. "And _you_ are _very_ fortunate that your father _is_ giving you a second chance and that we humans are _willing_ to go along with that. You're mortal now, Mr. Godling, and you _can_ be killed. Will I concede that you have been wronged all your life? Yes, actually, I will. Will I abide by your delusions of entitlement? _No_, sir, I will not. I can't speak for the Avengers, but you will get from me _exactly_ the amount of respect you deserve. No more, no less. Now are you going to let me finish without any more interruptions, verbal or otherwise?"

Loki looked visibly taken aback, and Pepper even thought she saw a hint of fear lurking in his bright eyes—which confused her. What did he have to fear from her, really, besides an earful? "Yes," he said quietly.

"Good," she said coolly. "Now, as I was saying, you were basically dumped on the Avengers. Well, out of the six of them, Thor and Steve Rogers are the only ones who don't really have a life outside of the Avengers. Even Dr. Banner now has an official position at SHIELD as an analyst. Steve is a good man—one of the greatest I've ever known, really—but he's still adjusting to the modern world, and therapy is not his thing. And Tony and I agree that Thor is _unequivocally_ the wrong choice to be your, as you put it, 'keeper'."

Loki snorted but held his tongue.

"Thus, it was agreed that _I_ would be the one to keep an eye on you," Pepper continued. "But even this presents its own set of problems—most importantly, how can I keep an eye on you and at least help you to adjust life as a human being in the twenty-first century when I have the job of Chief Executive Officer of a very large company?"

Loki gave a much put-upon sigh. "Haven't you a second-in-command to whom you can delegate your responsibilities?"

"You're looking at her," Pepper said flatly. "Tony Stark is _still_ the head of Stark Industries, which means that I'm, for all intents and purposes, the second-in-command."

"I see."

"I must admit, I _have_ entertained the possibility of having you pose as my Personal Assistant," Pepper mused aloud.

"What would such a position entail?"

Pepper shrugged. "Basically? Anything and everything. You'd help me juggle my schedule, handle my correspondence, take notes, fix me coffee when I need it, hail a cab, answer the phone, arrange travel details…"

"A valet," he said, with some measure of distaste.

"That is what it would be in your world, I suppose." She studied him carefully—she could see his mind working. "Until we can hopefully work out a better arrangement, I think it's the only option left to us."

"I see," Loki said again, obviously still mulling over the idea in his mind. "Would I be paid for my services?"

Pepper sighed. "No," she said, _sotto voce_. "Not until I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can trust you with your own money."

A smile crept across Loki's face, mirthless and unsettling. "I am a shadow of a doubt," he hissed, still smiling. "I am Doubt itself. You will never be able to trust me, for I will only tell you lies." He rose and leaned over the table, planting his hands on it. Pepper's left hand, which had been resting on her lap for the duration of the conversation, now moved noiselessly to the hold-out pistol hidden beneath the top of the desk. "The only thing you can trust me to do is lie." His smile widened. "A paradox, is it not?"

"Mr. Doubt, you need to sit down," Pepper said gently but firmly, without a trace of sarcasm in her voice. _I can't believe I'm_ ordering _a thousand-year-old kid to sit down_… "Right now."

Loki merely arched one elegant eyebrow.

"Look, Loki, you have officially ticked off every single one of the Avengers, SHIELD, and quite a large number of the worldwide political realm. Right now, I'm pretty much the _only_ person on your side. So, you know what, it would _behoove_ you to listen to me." Her voice held just an edge of steel, but her eyes flashed. "Please. Sit. Down."

Loki compressed his lips but sat.

Pepper released her hold on the pistol. "_Thank_ you. Loki, I can sympathize with you up to a point, but you've brought this on yourself."

His head jerked up, grey-blue eyes stormy. "I brought on my abandonment, my adoption, the—"

"You know darn well what I meant," Pepper snapped. "_This_. Your banishment, your human form, the whole nine yards. You have so much blood on your hands, and blood is blood, whether it's human, Asgardian, or Jotunn."

For the briefest moment, he paled. Then he recovered and said, "And this gives you the right to judge me."

"You're not listening. You will never get off this planet, mister, if you don't start cleaning up your act."

"Do you know, you were much more subtle with me yesterday."

Pepper threw up her hands. "Well, congratulations, you've already pushed me past the point of subtlety. I'm tired; I'm overworked; I'm stressed out. I don't need a psychopathic godling giving me further hassle."

Loki frowned in confusion at the word "hassle".

Pepper sighed. "Forget it. Look, can you just do me a favor and behave? Like I said, I'm on your side. And if you just work with me here, I'll defend you from here to hell, all right?"

He still didn't look entirely happy, but at least he said, "Very well." That was as much as could be hoped for, at this point.

"Thank you. Now, let's get started on getting you acclimated to your surroundings. You've got a lot to learn, and very little time in which to learn it."

He shrugged one shoulder. "Fortunately, I am a fast learner."

Pepper gave a little laugh. "I believe it."

He smiled. Just for a moment, but it was a genuine smile, and it was beautiful.

XXX

"So, how was the psycho kid today?"

Pepper leaned into Tony's hold in the limousine. Being held by Tony was always relieved her stress, no matter how bad her day had been. "Well, he could have been better, but he also could have been worse. Overall, it wasn't a bad day, and he _is_ a fast learner."

"Something happened. What happened?"

"You know, I'm still trying to decide whether the whole overprotective act becomes you or not."

"Something happened, and I really _am_ starting to regret getting you involved in this."

Pepper sighed. "He monologued. It was a little unsettling."

"Monologue. Like, a classic villain monologue? Like he's so good at doing?"

"Yeah, basically. It turned out okay, though—I talked him down."

He kissed her forehead. "You're a miracle worker."

She grinned. "I know."

The limo stopped, and Tony got out, then walked around to open her door for her, gesturing expansively. "After you, milady."

Her eyes widened as she took in their destination. "You just said to dress up…"

"Pep, you'd look gorgeous in a greasy mechanic's jumpsuit. Relax."

"You know, I really don't trust you, sometimes."

"No wonder you won't marry me."

Pepper whipped her head around to face him. "_I_ won't marry _you?_" she hissed in a whisper as they entered the restaurant. "_Who's_ still always flirting with every female he comes in contact?"

"I don't flirt with Natasha."

"Only because you had a grudge on her for being a SHIELD spy."

Tony placed a hand over his arc reactor. "Miss Potts, your doubt wounds me!"

"Do you _want_ me to wound you? 'cause, let me tell you, I'd be willing to oblige."

"Um, no, not really—I'm not sure my ego could survive that, and I'm kind of attached to it." As she snorted in genuine amusement, he snaked his arm around her waist and drew her close. "C'mon, let's just have a nice, relaxing evening. No Loki, no Thor, no Steve… no Avengers, period."

"And no SHIELD."

"_And_ no SHIELD," he agreed feelingly. They had been escorted to their table and Pepper was leaning back and soaking in the atmosphere when Tony said, out of the blue, "_Will_ you marry me?"

Pepper sighed gently. "Tony…"

"C'mon, Pep, we've been talking about this for… how long?"

"A little over a year, now."

"Right. And I'm not… we're not… uh…" He looked around the large room as if searching for inspiration.

Pepper leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand, smiling coyly. "I think the line you're looking for is: we're not getting any younger."

He turned to her with a look that was both a grimace and a grin. "Yeah."

She sighed again. "I know, I know…"

"Why, Pepper? Come on, what's holding you back?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I don't—I just…" She shook her head. "I don't know."

"Is it… something that's wrong with me?" Oh, that had to have taken a lot to say. Tony Stark was known for many things, but humility was definitely not one of them.

She smiled sadly. "No, it's not." He raised an eyebrow. "It really isn't. The problem is with me, Tony, not you."

"You?" he said, genuinely surprised. "Virginia Potts, you have to be the most perfect person I know." She laughed slightly. "No, I mean it. And, as I know a quite a few people—including the _illustrious_ Avengers—that's saying something."

She reached out and squeezed his hand. "You're sweet."

He gave her a hopeful look.

She dropped her gaze and nodded, smirking at herself. "Give me just a little more time? I'll figure myself out, I promise."

"When're you going to have the opportunity for that, if you're babysitting the psycho godling?"

She looked up at that, the corners of her mouth twitching. "Well. I hear that a good way to learn… is to teach."

Tony lifted his glass. "Here's lookin' at you, Teach'."

She grinned outright and clinked her glass with his. "Thanks. I need it."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I admit it: I was unashamedly going for heartwarming fluff in this last scene. :D And, to be honest, I don't know what Pepper's issue is, either—her words, not mine, and who am I to argue with the lady? And have I mentioned yet how much I really do like Tony, despite his "laundry list" of faults? (Just don't bring up the _Sherlock Holmes_ films. Seriously, don't.)

The scene in the office is what really held this entire chapter up. Loki wasn't being difficult just for Pepper—he was being difficult for me, as well. Once I was finished with the scene, however, I felt it was worth all the hassle. I really enjoyed Pepper talking Loki down—and, _boy_, is he messed-up. Ai-yi-yi…

On that note, I really enjoyed writing the brief Flashback Nightmare. The idea of using light as torture was a combination of three things: a captivity in TV series _Jericho_, two one-shots from my own Sherlockian writings, and my repeated experiences of waking up in the morning to _very_ bright sunlight from a nearby window. Yes, I am completely serious about that last one—couple it with sleeping problems, and you get one whopper of a headache.

The breakfast scene—h/c and fluff. Two of my favorite things. *unabashed grin*

The opening scene, well… that kind of went all over the place, in my head. I _did_ like Thor clapping to "Down to Earth"—I love that song, and I think he'd like it, too. And the debate over WALL-E… that itself took a lot of time and thought. My brain was hurting by the end of it. I'm with Thor—I don't like overthinking stories and thereby ruining them. I like to think that I'm fairly intelligent, but my intelligence is far more intuitive than analytical. Anyway, I didn't see any other way that scene would end but with the brothers verbally duking it out—probably not entirely a bad thing for them, being able to vent. Overall, though, I think my favorite part of the scene was the three opening paragraphs.

Next time (not sure when), we have the finale of Tony and Pepper's night out, the boys at home watching a film, some dancing, and _possibly_ the rest of the Avengers. _Don't hold me to that last bit_—it all depends on the characters. In the interim…

_**Please review!**_


End file.
